Carton



June 23, 1942. E. c. FRESHWATERS 'cam'on Filed May 29, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 SMW I #15027 L". FPFS/YWi/EPS q une 23, 1942.

E. C. FRESHWATERS CARTON Filed May 29, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 $440M 5015027 EFFfi/Miii- PE .Fune 23, 1942. 1-; c, s w s 2,287,520

CARTON Filed May 29, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 23, 1942 I CARTON Edison 0. Freshwaters, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 29, 1939, Serial No. 276,306

4 Claims.

This invention relates to cardboard cartons, and refers particularly to shipping cartons made of corrugated paper board.

Cartons of this type generally have their top wall formed by overlapping inner and outer flaps, with the adjacent edges of the outer flaps contiguous so that the outer surface of the top wall is formed solely by the outer flaps. The outer flaps are usually glued to the underlying inner flaps, and generally the glued connection between the flaps is so secure that the opening of the carton is attended with considerable difficulty and inconvenience.

The present invention contemplates an improvement in cartons of this character with a view toward facilitating the opening thereof.

To this end, it is an object of this invention to provide a carton having a top wall composed of overlapping inner and outer flaps suitably secured together, and in which the outer flaps are weakened along spaced lines to define medial sections which are not secured to the underlying inner flaps and which may be readily pulled open to expose the contents of the carton.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carton wherein the top wall consists of overlying inner and outer flaps, and wherein the outer flaps have rows of perforations running from the corners of the carton to the contiguous edges of the outer flaps to define medial sections which may be readily pulled open, and which upon being pulledopen permit the underlying inner flaps to be lifted open.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for facilitating the application of an outward pull on the medial sections of the outer flaps.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims. 1

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of thephysical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton constructed in accordance with this invention, and showing the same sealed up ready for shipment;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same carton with one of the outer flaps pulled up;

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views similar to Figure 2, illustrating slightly modified embodiments of the invention; and

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views similar to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating another modification of the invention.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates a carton, preferably of corrugated paper board, having a bottom wall 6, en-d Walls I, and sidewalls 8. The top wall of the carton consists of two inner flaps 9 hinged to and folded in from the upper edges of the ends walls, and two outer flaps l0 hinged to and folded in from the upper edges of the side walls 8.

The combined width of the two inner flaps is less than the length of the carton so that the adjacent edges of the inner flaps are spaced apart; whereas the combined width of the outer flaps is substantially equal to the width of the carton so that the adjacent edges of the outer flaps are contiguous and the outer surface of the top wall is formed wholly by the outer flaps.

Each outer flap has rows of perforations II extending from the corners of the carton diagonally in to meet the contiguous edges of the flaps at a substantial distance from their ends. These diagonal rows of perforations divide the outer flaps into medial sections I2 and end sections I3.

The attachment of the outer flaps to the underlying inner flaps may be effected in any manner, but preferably by glue I4. Hbwever, the glued areas are confined to the end sections I3 of the outer flaps. The medial sections I2 are in nowise attached to the underlying inner flaps.

Hence, it will be seen that opening of the carton is a simple matter. It is only necessary to apply a lifting pull on the outer flaps, whereupon they tear along their perforations II.

The application of an outward force on the medial sections is facilitated by the provision of punch-ins I5 Which normally lie flush with the outer flaps, but which may be readily punched in to provide a hand hole and grips by which an outward pull may be exerted on the medial sections. These punch-ins are defined by short rows of perforations IB extending in from the edges of the flaps, and a scored line I1 at the bottom of the flaps.

The end walls I have similar punch-ins I8 defined by a perforation I9 and a scored line 20 to provide hand holes and grips for carrying the filled carton.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the diagonal rows of perforations II run from the corners of the carton to points on the edges of the outer flaps spaced from the punch-ins I5, but, if desired, these rows of perforations may extend from the corners of the carton to the corners of the punch-ins I5, as shown in Figure 3.

The outer fiaps may also have their medial portions defined by rows of perforations which run perpendicularly to their hinged edges, as at 2| in Figure 4. In this instance, pulling open I the medial sections of the outer flaps does not of itself release the inner end flaps 9 for openmg.

For this purpose, the outer flaps have longitudinal rows of perforations 22 extending substantially along their hinged connections with the side walls from the corners of the carton to the adjacent ends of the rows of perforations 2|. Hence, in this embodiment of the invention after the medial sections of the outer flaps are pulled open, it is necessary to tear the outer flaps along their perforations 22 by outward force applied to the inner or end flaps.

In those forms of the invention so far described, the flaps having the rows of perforations have been the outermost flaps. It is, of course, possible to embody the principles of the invention in a construction in which the innermost flaps areweakened, as shown in Figures and 6.

This construction is very much similar to that shown in Figure 4 in that the long side fiaps 25 have two parallel rows of perforations 25 perpendicular to the sides of the carton and located inwardly of the short end flaps 21.

In closing the carton, the side flaps 25 are folded down first and then the end flaps 21 are glued down, as at 28.

While this construction does not have as neat an external appearance as the cartons in which the long side flaps are outermost, it will be apparent that the advantages of the invention are achieved thereby.

In opening the carton, the medial sections 29 of the side flaps are first pulled open, as shown in Figure 6, and then the end flaps are pulled up, this being permitted by the longitudinal rows of perforations 30 along the hinged connections of the side flaps with their adjacent side walls.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that this invention provides a paper board shipping carton which may be opened without difficulty and inconvenience.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a carton of the character described: a wall composed of two sets of opposite hinged flaps folded one upon the other, the combined width of the flaps of one set being substantially equal to the dimension of the carton in the direction of the width of said flaps so that the free edges of said first designated flaps opposite their hinges are contiguous; two rows of perforations in each of the first designated flaps, each row of perforations extending uninterruptedly from the medial portions of the free edges of said first designated flaps to one corner of said wall at the flap hinges so that each corner of said wall is connected with a row of perforations and so that said first designated flaps are divided into medial sections adapted to swing to open positions on the hinge axes of said first designated flaps by the tearing of the first designated flaps along their perforations and end sections adapted to be swung to open positions on the hinge axes of the other flaps upon tearing of said first designated flaps along their perforations; and means for securing the end sections of said first designated flaps to said other flaps whereby all of said flaps are maintained in carton sealing positions and whereby tearing of the first designated flaps along their perforations releases the medial portions thereof for opening swinging motion on the hinge axes of said first designated flaps and releases said other flaps and the end sections of the first designated flaps connected thereto for opening swinging motion on the hinge axes of said other flaps thereby exposing the entire contents of the carton.

2. In a carton: a wall composed of two outer flaps and two inner flaps hinged to the upper edges of the side and end walls of the carton, the adjacent edges of the outer flaps being contiguous so that the outer surface of said wall is formed by the outer flaps; each outer flap having two rows of perforations extending from the extreme ends of its hinge to the medial portion of its free edge opposite its hinge, said rows of perforations dividing each outer flap into medial and end sections so related that the end sections are entirely separated from the hinge of the outer fiaps upon tearing of said fiaps along their perforations; and means securing the outer flaps to the inner flaps solely at their end sections for sealing the carton closed, whereby all of the flaps are quickly freed and readily pulled open upon tearing of the outer flaps along their perforations.

3. In a carton: one wall composed of inner and outer flaps folded down upon each other; the outer flaps having rows ofperforations extending from medial portions of their outer contiguous edges to the extreme ends of their hinges to divide the outer flaps into medial sections at all times connected with the outer flap hinges and end sections entirely disconnected from the outer flap hinges upon tearing of the outer flaps along their perforations; means securing the outer flaps to the underlying inner flaps but solely at their end sections to seal the carton closed, whereby the medial sections of the outer flaps may be readily pulled open and all of the flaps released for opening'by tearing along the rows of perforations in the outerfiaps; and means at the contiguous edges of the outer flaps to facilitate the application of an outward pull on said medial sections.

4. In a carton: a wall'compose'd of pairs of opposite inner'and outer flaps hinged to the end and side walls of the carton respectively, the outer pair of flaps having their adjacent edges contiguous so that the outer surface of the wall is formed completely by said outer flaps; and rows of perforations in the outer flaps running diagonally from the corners of the carton at the extreme ends of theouter flap hinges to meet the contiguous edges of the outer flaps at a substantial distance in from the ends of the outer flaps, the portion of each outer flap bounded by its perforations and hinge constituting a medial section, and the remaining portions of the outer flaps constituting end sections; and means for securing the outer flaps to the inner flaps solely at the end sections of the outer flaps, whereby the medial sections of the outer flaps may be easily pulled open and all of the flaps released for opening by tearing said medial sections of the outer flaps along their perforations.

EDISON C. FRESHWATERS. 

